"Dave Mirra's awesome, he deserves everything he gets. People who are in the spotlight always get shit."
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What do you think of riding today with all the attitude that's going around, especially towards some pros?
I could do without it, you know?
Does it affect you at all, or do you just go your own way?
A little. There's always static. You can either get caught up in it and stress about it, or...I don't think it's necessary.
You don't care what kids say about sponsors?
I was asking people today about that. This kid came up to me talking about Leigh [Ramsdell] quitting 2-Hip or something, he's like "Ron [Wilkerson] was paying him a bunch." I don't know what the hell's going on. You think a hundred dollars is a lot? I mean, Leigh didn't quit Wilkerson 'cause he was spiteful. Then [the kid] said something about Dave Mirra, and I asked "You don't like him?" Just...whatever's in the magazine, that's what kids start talking about. Seems like there could be something good in the magazine that they could be talking about instead of some bullshit. Dave Mirra's fucking awesome, I've know him for like ten years. He's bad ass; he deserves everything he gets, you know? I mean, people who are in the spotlight always get shit.
For those of us who have been riding a long time, you're seeing people finally being recognized and getting paid for the years of hard work they've put into it. But for a lot of kids just starting out who still live with their parents don't realize that $50 a month isn't really anything.
Like that kid who was talking to me was saying "I would never even want any money from a sponsor." I mean, I can see where he's coming from. What he's thinking about is "Man, you get a bike for free — fuckin' A." (laughter) I mean, that's awesome — I never thought I'd get anything for free. The first time Hal gave me a shirt, I felt good, like "Man, that's awesome." But I can see where he's coming from, just 'cause you have to experience a lot of shit before you can see that perspective.
He's probably been riding for like a year and half or something.
Yeah. Once he's down the road and somebody gives him a free frame and he's getting a bunch of [magazine] covers, he might think differently. But they're just kids, they don't mean any harm. Just gotta learn, you know?
"I was so stoked that I found 20 pounds of awesome coffee."
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Just comes with age.
Yeah...hopefully (laughter).
There are a lot of dumb old guys around, too.
Yeah.
So, you still big into coffee?
Yeah. That kind of goes with my mellowness.
Isn't that just the opposite?
My RPM's are a little too slow to start with, so coffee just brings me up to a normal person (laughter). I'm just kind of idling, and I need coffee to start shifting gears. I like it. That's about all.
Do you like plain coffee, or do you go for the fancy stuff?
Uh, I like good shit, you know? Not like cappuccinos or any of that. I mean, I'd drink it if it was...free. Man, when I lived in Denver with my sister a few years ago before I came to York, and I'd ride in this rich part of Denver called Cherry Creek. I have a small bladder so I always have to piss (laughter), so I'm always by myself by dumpsters, and I always look in and find good shit. So this one time I found like 20 pounds of coffee beans...
In a dumpster?
Yeah. It was from one of those rich, upscale places. My sister's boyfriend was a food broker, so he would know if the beans were shitty or something. So he tested them — he just puts them in his mouth — and he said they were just a few days old. I was so stoked that I found 20 pounds of awesome coffee (laughter). So I was riding home with all this stuff, a big sack of coffee beans over my shoulder (laughter). Yeah, dumpster diving's awesome. I just got a bunch of stuff the other day. I'm always finding stuff that people throw out that's still awesome.
What was your last find?
A Titanic book (laughter).
That's good?
Well, it was awesome 'cause I gave it to my girlfriend as a present (laughter).
Did she know it was from a dumpster?
Well, she found out later (laughter). Like she was sick that whole week, and I called her and said "I've got something for you." She was asking me what it was, and I just said "It's what every girl wants." (laughter) And there was a bunch of chocolates in the dumpster, and I wrapped it up and gave it to her (laughter). She was kinda bummed, 'cause she thought it was something awesome, like CDs or something.
Are you on the road a lot?
Yeah. Not much this year 'cause I got a lady, I like her a lot. She kinda gets screwed when I'm gone over a month, she gets tweaked. Her name's Dot, I've been hanging out with her for about five years.
How many competitions do you go to?
I guess four or five, something like that. I like the little ones way better. Hal's last year at Dave Mirra's park was real fun. Big ones aren't really that fun. I guess they're whatever you make of it, once you get used to the bullshit.
If people wanted to see you ride, what videotapes should they buy?
Leigh's coming out with a new video — should've been done with it already — Evil Eye. I filmed some stuff for that, so that's the most recent. I'm stoked on some stuff I did in there, did a little street shit, gaps, flatland stuff. Other than that, just all the old ones.
Any final words or anything? Sponsor plugs?
I appreciate all my sponsors: Hoffman Bikes and everybody at Hoffman. Etnies, and Rooftop for hooking me up with them — flatlanders always need shoes, I'm stoked on that. Hal and Play. Primo makes some good shit, gives me stuff. Contraption, that guy who owns it is a fuckhead (laughter), but I'll take his free shit, you know?
Do you have an address people can write to if they want Contraption stuff?
You can get Contraption stuff through Salad Days. I'd give you my address but I don't know if I'm going to be there.
What are your thoughts on the